Agricultural Past A Key to Arizona's Future
December 8, 2007
by Michael Barton for the Arizona Republic
In H.G. Well's famous book, The Time Machine, the central character travels into the future to witness the long-term consequences of the actions of human civilization. Alas, we have no time machine to aid us in trying to make wise decisions and sound public policies that will shape the world we live in. But my colleagues and I in the School of Human Evolution & Social Change at Arizona State University are seeking new ways to learn from the long record of decisions and actions from the past, and from their consequences, to help us better anticipate the outcomes of the complex ways in which our actions may impact the world around us. Many times, both the desirable and the undesirable (from a human point of view) consequences in our past were the result of well-intentioned decisions. But whether the results of those decisions were positive or negative became apparent only over the course of decades and centuries. This is all the more reason to wish for a time machine to allow us to glimpse the future. Fortunately, emerging computer technology, combined with scientific study of past societies (archaeology) and ecosystems (paleoecology), offers an exciting new opportunity to study the interactions between human activities and environmental consequences.
Stop . . . Think for a moment about that item you just tossed in the trash. Often it is a cup, lid, straw, or plastic bag that you used only once, for a short period of time, then tossed "away" to some unknown place called a landfill. Fast-food restaurants buy them by the gross for customers who then dispose of them in the trash. Then the restaurant wraps them all up in a bigger plastic bag and hauls them to the dumpster.
In 1945, in the blinding light of the first nuclear test at White Sands, N.M., physicist Robert Oppenheimer recalled the words of Vishnu, from the Bhagavad Gita: "Now I am become Death, destroyer of worlds."
It's October in Phoenix, and the public's attention has once again turned to overseeding, ryegrass, and winter lawns. Phoenicians are blessed with a year-round growing season. This favorable climate gives residents the luxury of growing lush summer and winter lawns. Soft, deep-green ryegrass winter lawns are particularly attractive to residents and winter visitors because the level of people's outdoor recreation and lawn play dramatically increases as the weather cools.
The monsoon may be the most talked-about weather feature of Phoenix in recent days, but another weather-related phenomenon going on in the Valley is in effect 12 months of the year. It's the urban heat island, or UHI, a phenomenon that makes the Phoenix nighttime low temperatures 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than temperatures in rural areas. The reason for an increasing UHI is the growth of Phoenix as we build out farther and farther into the desert valley.
Water is the key resource for growth in a desert city like Phoenix. The Valley is blessed with a diverse portfolio of water sources, including the upland watersheds of the Salt and Verde rivers, the Colorado River Basin and, when surface waters are in short supply, a vast network of underground aquifers.
Evidence that we each need to be more environmentally responsible surrounds us. Global warming is no longer just “a theory,” and the rate of species extinction increases precipitously as the growing human population expands its pressure on the Earth's resources.
In rapidly urbanizing regions such as Phoenix, pavements comprise the largest percentage of the developed urban fabric, more so than roofs and open space. During daytime, streets, highways and parking lots absorb and retain short-wave radiation from the sun. 
July . . . the time of year when Arizonans study the horizon for a break in the monotonous weather pattern of late spring and early summer. After enduring our weather doldrums of May and June, a little hunger for some dramatic weather is expected.
Surviving summer in Phoenix requires near-constant access to beverages and increasingly consumers are choosing non-carbonated drinks, especially bottled water.
The subject of global warming is the focus of considerable national and international attention of late. Taking action, however, does not have to be so distant or dependent on governments. There is a lot an individual or household can do, such as measure its “carbon footprint.” This concept was created to measure the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that an activity releases into the atmosphere, thereby contributing to global warming. Once your footprint is calculated, you can make changes to your behavior or lifestyle to reduce that footprint. Carbon footprinting can be undertaken at various scales: the units of measure are usually in pounds or kilograms of CO2 per year for the smaller scale or metric tons of CO2 for the larger scale. Value through the use of offsets has also been placed on CO2. Carbon offsets can be purchased from $6 to $30 per metric ton of CO2 per year from a seller who promises to use that money to neutralize or offset your CO2 emissions.
Arizona is a state built on optimism – a welcoming land of dazzling landscapes, abundant sunshine, and seemingly limitless economic opportunity.